Cigarette carton and match package



p 1942- c. H. HARKLEROAD 2,295,110

CIGARETTE CARTON -AND MATCH PACKAGE Filed 'Feb'. 16, 1942 Patented Sept, 8, 1942 r QFFICE CIGARETTE CARTON AND MATCH PACKAGE Carl H. Harkleroad, La Mesa, Calif.

Application February 15, 1942, Serial No. 431,011

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a cigarette carton and match package.

Among the objects of the invention are: To provide improved means for the attachment of a card of banked matches to the conventional outer wrapper now employed to enclose a wrapped pack of cigarettes, such card of matches being -attached to the inside of an outer wrapper, and an ignition strip being attached to the outer face of the outer manner angularly related rows of perforations adjacent to an ignition strip, said strip affording an abutment for the thumb of the user to start the rupturing of the perforations preparatory to manually completing cleavage of the sheet material the full length of its perforated lines; and to secure the foregoing advantages without increasing the weight or manufacturing cost of the article or adding to the number of its parts. From the foregoing it will therefore be seen that, in applicants contribution to the art the manufacturer may use his present facilities for wrapping the cigarettes, the only change involved being that of perforating the outer wrapper and the stapling of thematch-carrying card on one side of the sheets area included between the perforated lines and by the same staple attaching the ignition strip to the opposite face of the sheet in such a position that said strip forms an abutment for the thumb to act against in rupturing the line of perforations connecting the sides of the U-shaped perforated line.

Another advantage resides in providing a novel combination wherein the matches are protected from moisture when carried in a shirt pocket adjacent the body of the wearer,

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of that which is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates what is at present deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette package in the unopened condition furnished with a wrapper constructed according to the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of said package showing the match-carrying flap in an upturned position.

rapper; to arrange in an improved- Referring in detail to the drawing, the cigarette package 5 is provided with the outer wrapper 6 having the match-carryin flap I. Said wrapper consists of a paper sheet wrapped transversely around the package and having a side wall 8 furnished with a transverse tear line of perforations 9 which is continued upwardly at each side as a vertical tear line H which, by preference and as shown, extends upwardly to about two-thirds of the height of the package.

The aforesaid tear lines H are made approximately of the length stated to provide for tearing into a freely swingable condition a matchcarrying flap (the flap 1) of a, sufiicient length to have attached to its inner face the slitted match block Or card l2 of banked matches. The unslitted end portion of said card I2 is secured by a staple It so that the heads of the row of matches I 5 will be lifted to about the level shown when the flap I is given a full upward swing, for convenient manual access.

The staple I3, which fastens the matches to the inner face of the flap 1 is utilized to secure an igniting strip It to the outer face of said flap adjacent to its free edge. A decided advantage results from locating the igniting strip l6 and staple is adjacent to the tear line 9 because said attached strip forms a slightly projecting abutment for the thumb of the user to crowd against with sufficient force to rupture the paper along said line 9 preparatory to freeing the flap for the upward swinging thereof. Furthermore, the non-slip quality of the face of the ignition strip will of itself assist the thumb in rupturing the tear line 9.

Referring to certain further details of structure, the inner tinfoil wrapper surrounding the cigarettes is shown having overlapping top flaps 2! which are sealeddown by the applied strip 22 which may be a revenue stamp. Said tinfoil wrapper is provided with like flaps 23 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 adhered together to close the lower end of the tinfoil package. The revenue stamp 22 is shown, not only sealing down the flaps 2| but having its end portions extended over and adhered to the upper edge portions of the outer wrapper 6. At its lower end said outer wrapper is extended downwardly from all sides to form flaps like flaps 23 of the inner wrapper which are adhered to each other and assist in closing the lower end of the package.

In using the device, after the operator has freed the flap l in the manner already indicated and has swung said flap up to gain access to a match, he will remove one of the matches and will then allow the flap to swing down to its original position. This having been done the ignition strip IE will then be positioned for conveniently using it to ignite the match which has been removed,

The location, both of the bank of matches and the ignition strip l6 in a spaced relation to the attached or upper edge of the flap 1 leaves the upper portion of the flap in a freely flexible condition, so that, in using the package subsequent to the opening thereof, the action of the thumb in pushing upward for a short distance the part of the flap to which the igniting strip is secured, causes the upper part of the flap to bend outwardly, thus providing room thereunder for the insertion of the index finger of the same hand to conveniently complete the upswinging of the flap. Furthermore, owing to the igniting strip being positioned on the side of the flap I opposite to the matches the danger of their accidental ignition when lighting a match is positively eliminated.

.Owing to the outer wrapper being extended at the lower end of the package to form the bottom closure flaps similar to flaps 23 of the inner wrapper the material in said flaps reinforces the narrow'strip of the face portion of the sheet subjacent to the tear line 9 and prevents too extensive tearing of the sheet when the thumb of the user is pressed upwardly against the abutment formed by the ignition strip, or is prevented from slipping by the rough surface of said strip.

In the event that it is desired to supply a larger number of matches without reducing the size of the individual matches, the obverse side face of r the pack may also be furnished with another flap "I, likewise bounded by U-shaped perforated lines, such flap also having the pack of matches secured to its inner face.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the subject matter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an inner wrapper toh'ouse a pack of cigarettes; of an outer wrapper extending around said inner wrapper, said outer wrapper having rows of perforations adjacent the bottom and side edges of the package thereby forming a substantially U-shaped tear line, a bank of matches secured in a flatwise manner to the inner face of the area of the sheet material included within said U-shaped tear line, with the heads of the matches directed away from the base line of the U when in its untorn condition, an igniting strip for lighting the severed matches secured to the outer face of said outer wrapper within the area included within said U and adjacent to the lower end of the package, and attaching means for said igniting strip, said strip forming an abutment for the thumb of the operator in breaking the tear line along the lower part of the U.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and, said attaching means being a staple which forms a common securing means for attaching both said igniting strip and said bank of matches.

3. The subject matter of claim 1 and, the rows of perforations which form the limbs of the U extending upwardly a substantal distance above the heads of the attached bank of matches.

4. The combination, with a pack of cigarettes and an inner wrapper extending therearound; of an outer wrapper extending around all sides of said inner wrapper intermediate its ends, said inner wrapper having closure forming flaps at the ends of the package and said outer wrapper having its lower side portions extended and deflected thus forming closure flaps at the lower end of the package, there being part way across at least one side of the package near its lower end a perforated transverse tear line which is upwardly extended from each end to form a U- shaped tear line, a pack or bank of matches secured to the inner face of the outer wrapper between the arms of said U, and an ignition strip secured to the outer face of said outer wrapper superjacent to the aforementioned transverse tear line, said ignition strip forming an abutment for the thumb of the user in applying upward pressure to rupture the outer wrapper along said transverse tear line, the flap portion of said outer wrapper reinforcing the sheet material subjacent to said transverse tear line.

CARL H. I-IARKLEROAD. 

